We introduce a method for sealing liquid metal (LM) circuits with soft anisotropic conductors that prevent leaking, while simultaneously allowing for electrical contact with skin and surface mounted electronics. These films are composed of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) embedded with vertically aligned columns of ferromagnetic Ag-Ni microparticles. The microparticles are magnetically aligned and support electrical conductivity only through the thickness (z-axis) of the elastomer film. Measurements on 10-40% (by wt) composites show moderate volumetric resistivity (as low as ρ = 0.03 Ω/m) through the thickness and no conductivity between adjacent traces. Functionality is demonstrated with several illustrative applications related to tactile sensing and electronics hardware integration.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.